As part of a new approach to forest management 8,000 hectares of land will be left to nature in a big to boost wildlife and biodiversity. This will be rolled out in four forest across England including one in North Yorkshire.
The North Yorkshire spot in question is Newtondale, just north of Pickering, which is one of four forests involved in the project. The others are Kielder Forest in Northumberland, Purbeck in Dorset and Neroche in Somerset.
Andrew Stringer, Forestry England’s head of environment, said: “We will intervene less in these four wild areas, giving nature the time and space to reshape the forest landscape.”
Forestry England says: “Newtondale is nestled within North Yorkshire’s renowned North York Moors National Park. Spanning 458 hectares, this site includes diverse habitats such as conifer and broadleaved forests, rugged cliff faces, and picturesque fen landscapes.
“The landscape also includes agricultural fields, steep bracken-covered slopes, and pockets of pristine wilderness including mires, species-rich grasslands, and wet flushes. Our mission at Wild Newtondale is to nurture and safeguard this precious ecosystem for generations to come.
“Through thoughtful conservation efforts, we aim to enhance biodiversity by creating more dynamic woodlands, reintroducing essential herbivores, and fostering the growth of species that are vital to the local, regional, and national ecosystem… There is an exciting unpredictability about this work in our four wild areas.”
“We simply don’t know exactly how each of them will change over time or the detail of what they will look like. But this uncertainty is a positive part of being experimental and allowing natural processes to shape each landscape in the years ahead. We are confident that whatever happens these areas will become more nature-rich, with benefits for neighbouring landscapes.”
Other ways of helping include introducing butterflies, rare plants, pine martens, beavers as well as wild cattle or moving fungi to restore soil. The area will welcome visitors, but also be used as a source of sustainable timber through an forward thinking model of a productive forestry.
Feature Image Credit: Photo © Scott Robinson (cc-by-sa/2.0)
